More likely than not, this year’s Goodrich athletic schedule will remain intact.
That’s the word from Goodrich High School athletic director Al Martus in the wake of a July 27 decision by the Sixth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals.
A three-judge panel on the Court of Appeals upheld a December 17, 2001 ruling by the U.S. District Court that stated Michigan’s high school sports seasons are discriminatory against girls and must be realigned.
With fall sports practices scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 9 (except for boys golf, which begins practice Thursday, Aug. 5), Martus said he believes any changes regarding sports schedules will not happen until the 2005-06 school year at the earliest.
‘Nothing will happen this year ? everything will stay the same,? he said. ‘We’ll probably get direction from the state, but I’m pretty sure we’d have at least a year leeway.?
However, Martus said a potential realignment would cause an already-thin referee pool to become even thinner, and may cause problems as far as scheduling for boys and girls basketball, if girls basketball winds up moving from the fall to the winter season.
‘I don’t know if it would be the same nights as far as scheduling for boys and girls basketball,? he said. ‘There’s no set guidelines.?
Martus also said Goodrich’s coaching staff would be stretched thin, and coaches could possibly be forced to choose between jobs if the change were implemented. For instance, Goodrich’s varsity boys basketball coach, Gary Barns, is also the junior varsity girls basketball coach, Martus said.
The ruling stemmed from a 1998 federal lawsuit filed by the Grand Rapids-based group Communities for Equity. Their suit contended the scheduling of some girls sports, most notably basketball and volleyball, hurt potential college recruits in Michigan, since colleges and universities traditionally play volleyball in the fall and basketball in the winter.
Michigan is one of a few states where high school girls play basketball in the fall and volleyball in the winter. Other girls sports that may be affected by the ruling are tennis, Lower Peninsula golf, Lower Peninsula swimming and diving, and soccer.
On Aug. 1, 2002, the district court ordered the placement of the girls basketball season in the winter and the girls volleyball season in the fall.
In a statement, Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) executive director John E. ‘Jack? Roberts said the association will develop a response to the July 27 ruling, including taking action to make sure no changes are required for the 2004-05 school year.
Nonetheless, if the ruling stands and the girls teams wind up switching seasons, Martus said the Goodrich athletic department will make the best of the situation.
‘We’ll survive it ? other states do it,? he said.